


One Requires Rest

by LoloxTheMuffin



Category: Cookie Run (Video Game)
Genre: (I tried), (currently) slow updating, (kinda), (may be read as a ship-fic for other pairings if so desired), Character Study, Dialogue Heavy, Implied Relationships, Letters, M/M, More characters to be added, Possibly OOC, So many letters, Somewhat Plotted, already friends, oh god there's a plot now??
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-17 19:00:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 14,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28979271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoloxTheMuffin/pseuds/LoloxTheMuffin
Summary: Ah, another 12am work? Yes.Espresso Cookie runs into a colleague while on a break in Sparkling's bar. The two have a chat. From there, stuff happens.To check for ongoing updates in between chapters, check my Instagram LoloxTheFox; I usually talk about it in my stories.Most characters do not appear many times, except for Madeleine, Espresso, Angel, Yam, and Milk. Others do not play significant roles in the story.
Relationships: Madeleine Cookie & Angel Cookie (Cookie Run), Madeleine Cookie/Espresso Cookie (Cookie Run), Milk Cookie & Purple Yam Cookie (Cookie Run)
Comments: 83
Kudos: 161





	1. In Which We Talk over a Coffee

**Author's Note:**

> Like in my last fic with Espresso, he does his magic study in a tower in the castle because I lacked the information necessary to figure out where he would do that stuff. As stated in the previous work, I hope that you don't mind.  
> Madeleine's personality may be a little too watered down; I'm not sure about it, though.

The day itself was a dreary one. The Kingdom's market, though still bustling with chatter and transactions, was suffering from a sky of heavy marshmallow clouds that drizzled sugar water every few minutes. Espresso sat under an umbrella at a one-seat table just outside of Sparkling's bar. He didn't usually go out and drink something that wasn't of his own creation, but for once the Coffee Mage wanted out of his magic tower. He figured the low-energy day would be a perfect break day for his crafts worked better in stimulating environments.

Sipping delicately at his hot beverage, the magic caster swept his cape's edges closer to the center of his chest. A light, sweet-smelling mist was gathering, fogging up his large, circular glasses. When he briefly removed them to wipe them down, he noticed a sudden shift in brightness. Placing them back upon his nose, he was then face-to-face with Madeleine Cookie, his irritating colleague turned tolerable friend. 

Dryly, he began, "What brings you into my presence?" Espresso watched with an eyebrow raised as Maddie pulled a spare chair up to the mage's tiny table. 

"I simply wanted to greet you, is all," Maddie's tone was light as his pleasant self soaked his words like coffee to a sponge. Espresso sipped from his cup, sensing a sudden spike of energy that made him feel a slight bit daring. However, the sensation was over too quickly for him to act on it, rendering the mage more tired than before. 

"That is all?" 

Maddie grinned, tossing his heavy ponytail over a gleaming pauldron. "Am I not allowed to have simple motives?" After a quiet moment, he gestured towards his friend's cup, "May I have some?"

Espresso scoffed, "Order your own, if you must. This is a personal item." His eyelids fell halfway, threatening to close of their own accord. Retaliating against such an offense, Espresso polished off the last of his beverage down to the last drops.

"Right…" Madeleine watched. "On another topic… How much rest have you been getting?"

Espresso's tone flattened, "However much that is not of your concern… Not a lot. I have been especially busy with paperwork." 

"Ah, I see. You know, as a friend, I worry about you a lot." 

"That is surprising," Espresso deadpanned, more taken by the lack of sustenance in his glass. He stared at the inside, stained a delectable, sweet brown.

Madeleine took a deep breath before speaking, which Espresso found rather curious. Maddie was never one to lack confidence, though it was noted that Espresso's distinct lack of glorified praise usually made him act oddly. Perhaps he was simply tired, too. "I was thinking that we could spend a day together. I wanted a break - I knew that I could since I am in charge of schedules of all - but I need someone to spend it with," he added.

A long pause. "I have chores to complete." 

Maddie chimed in immediately, "I can help you with those! Who better than the great knight himself to assist?" He boasted, making a fancy flourish with his hands to accomplish an unnecessary but admittedly majestic looking pose. 

Espresso considered, feeling his judgement slip from the lack of stimulation. His fingers drummed against the sides of his glass as he spoke sluggishly, "Ah. … I suppose you could be of use. When do you propose we meet up?"

"How about in half an hour? That gives some time to tidy up. I do have things of my own to get to," Maddie offered.

Standing up, Espresso slid his chair beneath the table and picked up his napkin and dirty glass. "That will work. Do make sure to read the signs on your way up this time."

"I will be fine, don't worry! A knight as capable as me doesn't require such help!" Madeleine rose, striking a pose as he did so, and subtly nudged his chair back into its original spot with his greaves. 

"That is quite a claim coming from the same cookie who went into the wrong tower three separate times despite everycookie offering to guide you." Espresso approached the bar counter and handed the bartender, Sparkling Cookie, his cup and a few coins. 

"I simply wanted to explore!" Picking up a candy from a bowl beside the register, Maddie added a few more generous coins to the small pile growing on the wooden counter. Sparkling smiled charmingly and swept the coins into a pouch. Espresso nodded curtly and left the establishment while Madeleine thanked and complemented Sparkling for his service. 

When Madeleine had gotten back outside, the rain beat heavily against his armour. He paid it little heed as he simply requested an umbrella from a nearby cookie while he looked around the street. As expected, Espresso had since vanished.


	2. In Which a Visit Takes Longer than Expected

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Madeleine shows up to Espresso's workshop as scheduled and the two spend a little more time together than intended.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angel Cookie appears in this chapter! As I am unsure of their gender, they are they/them. I considered using she but I worried that it might not have been accurate to the character. If you haven't read Madeleine and Angel's story in Cookie Kingdom, you may be a little confused. If so, just ask for some more context or go ahead and look it up for yourself.

Madeleine approached the door of Espresso’s tower room, carrying a small bag. He figured that Espresso might appreciate the gesture, since he didn’t seem like the type who would be constantly purchasing new things. At the very least, a new container to store his favorite beverage would satisfy him, Madeleine was sure of it.

At first, Madeleine simply tried to open the door normally by using the handle. It gave much resistance, and the knight took a moment to comprehend it. Realizing, he laughed quietly to himself.

Taking hold of the solid, cast-caramel knocker, he hit it against the wood. The sound echoed throughout the tall, stone tower and down the winding stairs much like a gong. He waited for what felt like a couple of minutes while he heard lots of muffled shuffling of fabrics against stone through the heavy wooden barrier. Stretching upwards, he called, “Espresso? It’s Madeleine, may I enter?”

After a long pause, a response sounded from within the chamber hidden by the bound planks and stacked bricks, “Yes, you may, but I must unlock the door first.” With that and a round of footsteps steadily increasing in volume, the door handle wiggled and mechanisms within it clicked, and the door swung open with wide reach. Stepping back to avoid it, Madeleine glanced up at his friend and offered an enthused grin, holding up the bag. “Why would you lock the door if you knew that I was coming?” he chuckled. “Anyway, I brought you a little something.”

Espresso merely huffed, ignoring the question, and signaled Madeleine’s entry with a hand wave, his gaze resting on the present. It lingered there as if the bag were a surprise party guest. “What is this, if I may inquire?”

With an extravagant flourish, Madeleine opened the package and revealed an intricately detailed mug, made of what looked to be fine materials. “I saw it in the market and couldn’t help but think of you. Do you like it?” he added, eyes sparkling.

Espresso did not answer immediately, instead preferring to take the mug within his hands and delicately rub his fingertips against the sides of it. He seemed charmed from what Maddie could gather, but perhaps it was simply wishful thinking. “Ah…” he started, “... You chose a fine specimen. … This is pleasing, thank you.” Espresso kept his hands wrapped around the cool, rough sides of his new treasure, and Madeleine beamed.

“Ah, but of course!” Madeleine declared with a playful air, throwing his arm up and allowing his cape to curl around him and aid the magnificent pose, “Only the finest from a great knight to a great mage!”

Espresso nodded curtly and turned around before his expression could be properly seen, walking over to his coffee machine. He placed his mug down on the counter beside it and then reached for the contraption, but then decided to double check if the mug was far enough away from the edge of the table. He hovered his upper section over the surface for a moment, as if soothing his thoughts.

Madeleine, with a curious glance at his friend, plopped down on the one couch in his friend’s quarters. Lounging luxuriously with a little hint of laughter, he made himself comfortable. Politely, he kept his feet off of the many coffee tables. “So, comrade,” he began, “What would you like to do first?”

Espresso tapped the side of his machine, staring at it intently. “Make coffee,” he murmured.

“After that.”

“... Drink coffee.”

“Would you like to talk about stuff? I know that you’ve been up to something big,” Madeleine proposed. He leaned over the arm of the couch to be closer to Espresso, as if the answer would be whispered and risk being missed.

“My prominent affairs shouldn’t mean much to you,” Espresso confided, though he wore a faint smile, lifting his now half-full glass of steaming caffeine before it was fully filled. Without much thought, he stuck a different cup beneath the machine to catch what hadn’t fallen yet. “But, if you are curious, I suppose I could indulge a few plans.”

Madeleine shifted his pose so Espresso could sit beside him, and his friend did so daintily, swiping his high-collared cloak out from under him. For how tired he was, he still carried himself with dignity. The blonde knight kept his eyes and positive mood focused on the magic user.

Adjusting his glasses, Espresso picked up a small, chocolate-leather-bound book laying on a table covered in coasters and more papers, swiftly turning to his desired page. “I’ve been wanting to teach,” he said bluntly, his voice seeming to crack. This was noticed immediately and the mage inhaled more of his drink.

Madeleine’s head tilted, and tufts of his pale hair fell to frame his face. “Teach? Magic, I presume?”

“Yes. I wish to share the knowledge that I store up here,” Espresso frowned, gesturing to the various contraptions and hand-written spellbooks. “However, I do not have the training required to perform such an act.”

Madeleine nodded with a smile and a simple horizontal wave, “I’m sure that you’d catch on quickly. It’s not that difficult when you know the subject.”

Sighing, Espresso shook his head, “Knowing and being able to explain in simple, easily comprehensible terms are two different things, Madeleine.” He swirled his drink around in its container, as if evaluating it.

“In that case, perhaps I could teach you a thing or two about it,” Madeleine offered a hand to Espresso as if he were extending it in partnership. The gesture went stared at and then ignored, so Maddie dropped his hand back to his side. The two sat in a brief silence as Espresso took a long drink. Even though they weren’t sitting very close, Madeleine could smell the strong, lingering scent of coffee from his friend’s breath. He waved his hand subtly in front of his own face. His friend didn’t appear to notice, but then again, he may have just been ignoring it. Maddie could never be entirely sure.

“... Perhaps you could,” Espresso echoed, tapping his fingers against the sides of his now drained cup. His gaze fell back to his coffee machine.

“You could certainly teach how to get a caffeine addiction without my assistance,” Madeleine joked, which earned little more than an eyeroll.

“It is within my nature to enjoy the stimulation,” Espresso offered a little smile, which only encouraged Madeleine’s little quips further. 

The two chatted for a while longer, lightly debating and advising one another over the concepts. Throughout these talks, Madeleine wouldn’t move from his spot much while Espresso was getting up every few minutes to get something to eat or drink. Often, Maddie would look over his shoulder to see him staring out of the window at the vast rows of houses, parks, and workshops. Madeleine wondered if Espresso would like to spend a day walking around the market; perhaps they could even find someone who was curious to learn Espresso’s craft. The knight sighed and shook his head at the thought, finding it a little too good to be plausible. Even so, the idea of his friend teaching a kid how to do magic made him smile. The hours rolled by as the sun tumbled down the atmosphere, sneaking behind clouds and eventually distant mountains. It was about at the latter’s time when the sky went pink and orange like a gargantuan glass of marmalade.

Espresso stood over his coffee maker, whispering minor spells under his breath. He was so focused in the procuring of his brew that he didn’t observe any signs of Madeleine getting to his feet. The holy fighter put a light hand on his friend’s shoulder and his friend’s form subtly shivered from the sudden contact, dragon-like pupils dilated. 

With a kind tone, Madeleine said, “Just how much rest have you gotten recently? I recall you being much more energetic in the past.”

Espresso lifted a refilled glass up to thin lips, sipping from it, “... I am most energetic when performing magic. Otherwise, no amount of caffeine…” his voice dropped to a murmur as his posture fell into a slump, “keeps me properly awake.” A smile graced his features when he drank a little more.

Madeleine frowned, and lightly caressed his sleepy comrade’s shoulder, “How about you go sleep now? It is rather late, and Angel Cookie may be worried about my whereabouts.”

“Angel Cookie?”

“Yes, the little winged child,-”

“I know who they are,” Espresso interrupted, “but I hadn’t realized that they still stayed with you.”

“I’ve grown quite fond of them,” Maddie chipperly explained, “They’re a handful sometimes, but I think that a guiding hand - especially one of someone as holy as I - is what they need.”

Glancing towards one of the many doors in the organized yet cluttered room, Espresso thought about a response. He blinked slowly and guided the conversation gently with an uncharacteristically unsure air, “Hm. … Madeleine, I have something that they might like.”

A genuine smile. “Oh, really?”

Placing his beverage on the counter, he nodded and left to open and enter the room at which his attention had been diverted before. “I won’t be long, perhaps a minute or two.”

Madeleine nodded, lightly wringing his hands for lack of anything else to do with them. “I can wait,” he responded despite his curiosity. He doubted that his friend knew Angel Cookie very well, so this seemed like a strange development. Perhaps he was attempting to act more like a teacher by doing such a thing? That seemed likely enough; he figured he could ask when his friend came back.

However, much time passed and the door through which Espresso had disappeared had yet to reopen. Partly from figuring that he may need assistance and from his own impatience, Madeleine approached the door, calling, “Espresso? Do you need any help?”

When no response came, he swung the door open.

Aside from the new spotlight cast from the crack between the door and its frame, the room was lit by collections of little candles that made the entire room smell more concentrated with coffee than anywhere else in the workspace. Neatly categorized piles of books, half-written spell sheets, and other various papers littered the room. To Maddie’s surprise and amusement, he found Espresso asleep, curled up on a chocolate-colored marshmallow cot. He shook his friend gently, but the mage didn’t do so much as murmur. After a few moments of consideration, the knight snagged a pillow from the main room and slipped it under Espresso’s head, also taking much slow care to remove the rimmed glasses that Espresso wore and set them on one of the many stacks of materials laying around. With a little bit of rearranging, he pulled the dark cloak to be more of an impromptu blanket. Deciding that wasn’t enough, he unclasped his own cloak and set the royal blue sheet of fabric over the many stacked layers of brown already covering his friend.

He figured that he should leave the candles alone and slipped out of the room, sliding the door shut quietly. Madeleine felt oddly calm, standing there in the midst of countless contraptions of what functions he could not name. He considered washing out the containers that Espresso had been switching out to hold his coffee, but concluded that may be a little much. With that, he left the workshop.

Descending the stairs many at a time, the cloakless knight reached the bottom floor of the castle. He wandered for a little while, searching for a certain little someone. Without much difficulty, as he questioned most of the cookies that he came across, he located the small child sleeping under the watch of a few knights with whom Madeleine was friends. Thanking them, he woke Angel up and walked them out into the streets of the Kingdom.

Despite the late hour, they buzzed with activity. As the last of the local Cookies roamed the markets, trickling down the last few bends, they were approached with a mix of end-of-the-night exhaustion and excited chatter over what was to come. Angel Cookie beamed both in face and through radiating their holy light, glorified white wings stretching in the cool, spring air. They looked up at their guardian and reached up to graze the back plates of Maddie’s armour, little fingers grabbing for what they expected to be cloth.

“Where did you cape go, Mister?” They hopped up and down on their small feet, wings flapping and sending shining sparkles scattering across the paved pathways.

With a playful smile, he shrugged and stated with a gusto not required for such a declaration, habitually rotating his figure in such a way that, if his cloak were still attached, it would’ve swept around his feet in a fancy manner. “For now, I simply have found a better use for it. I’ll retrieve it tomorrow.”

The two, having forgone getting Madeleine’s sugar horse from the castle stables, walked the rest of the way home together, using Angel Cookie’s natural light as a guide.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While I do think that the end of this chapter is a little weak, I still wanted to post what I have. I may go back and do minor chapter edits later on, but anything major is unlikely at best. 
> 
> Even though I don't have much confidence in how this chapter turned out, I really wanted to get it out. I hope that you enjoyed this!
> 
> As usual, the next update does not have an expected time of arrival. Please do let me know if you liked this chapter and if it holds up to the first. Admittedly, I am a bit worried if this keeps up to the set standard of the first chapter.


	3. In Which We Get Letters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Espresso wakes up; Madeleine is already gone, off doing his own thing with friends. However, the latter gets a little message. 
> 
> Also Maddie acts like a dad-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh god it's the plot, run 
> 
> Um, anyway, I'm trying to actually make something happen! I have no idea how many chapters this will take, but I do have an idea of where I'm going now. There will be probably be plot-holes and leaps of logic, but I'll try to make this as sensible as possible; so far, I haven't run into any problems that I couldn't come up with solutions (or excuses) for. I haven't actually finished one of these larger fics before, but I suppose there's no time like the present, eh?

Espresso awoke to the songs of marshmallow birds, chirping cheerfully beyond his walls. They were rather faint, but it didn’t detract from the peppiness of their tunes.

He felt soft padding beneath him; the cot he had purchased for those nights when he spent a little longer than expected in the tower. He hadn’t recalled falling asleep, but assumed it was par for the course. He was sure that he would recall what he did after a strong brew. Or perhaps something less strong this time; oddly enough, he felt rather invigorated after that unexplained nap.

Sitting up and stretching his arms up towards the shadowed ceiling, he felt a soft cloth fall from his shoulders; from that, he noted that he caught a whiff of something strange. He could not name the scent, but it certainly wasn’t one of coffee. He felt around for his glasses and snatched them up, shifting the frames to be comfortable situated on his nose. Holding the blanket up to the light, he discovered that it wasn’t a blanket at all - it was a cloak. A long, well-tended to cloth of a bright, saturated blue that struck great contrast with his darker aesthetics. “Madeleine’s cloak…” he muttered, eyes widening. He wondered with great unease what had gone on the night before, as he couldn’t remember much beyond Madeleine visiting and an extended talk. And after, Madeleine presented him with a gift. A kind gesture, one unexpected but appreciated. 

Espresso decided that he would use the new present for his first morning cup of coffee; it seemed fitting. He would have to apologize for last night, if he ever did recall what had occurred. Perhaps he could get the knight a gift.

A gift…

Espresso stood, placing a small book with a graham-cracker cover where his glasses had been before exiting the room.

The mage felt the rays of the sun lightly kiss his face as he stepped into the main room of his tower, blue cloth folded neatly in his arms. Promptly opening the window above his small table-and-chair set, a wave of fresh, sugary air rushed in, mixing with the concentrated coffee scent that consistently hung around in his rooms. After briefly fluffing the curtains, he washed what few dishes he had which mostly consisted of stained coffee cups, he put his machine to brew and waited on the couch. Strangely enough, he could still see where Madeleine was sitting the day before; his armour had made noticeable marks on the fabric. He grimaced; what an annoyance that was. He tossed Madeleine’s cloak on the spots, effectively covering them up.

He hopped to his feet at the ding of his coffee machine, brushing his mussed fringe to the side of his face after it ungracefully flopped into his eyes. He filled up his new mug with the decaffeinated version of his usual drink and picked up a packaged jelly tart from his small pantry before sitting by the open window.

Espresso felt acutely aware of his surroundings, from the fluffy fillers of the chair cushions to the individual cake roll logs that were used to construct the frames of the whole set. He supposed the natural rest that Madeleine had suggested did do something beneficial despite his initial denial. 

Espresso stared out of the window for a long time, feeling the wind brush against his face as he idly watched the cookies below go about their mornings as the Kingdom slowly woke up.

* * *

Their swords clashed vehemently, forcing Madeline’s opponent to dig his greaves deeper into the dirt in order to keep balance. The comparably shorter knight, similarly blonde with armour smelted from strong chocolate, yelped as Maddie startled him with a well-placed swing. Knight Cookie lifted his training shield to intercept Madeleine’s cake-wood sword. 

The two had been sparring for quite a while, both determined to win. So much so the light blue candy floss plume atop Knight’s helmet was falling apart from the amount of heat radiating from the holy cookie that he battled. On the sidelines, a figure swathed in pink cheered, her short drill curls bouncing as she waved her arms around in the air. Beside her sat a little, pale child in a simple ginger dress. Their voice was softer and still encouraging, though considerably shyer and perhaps not as into watching the two fight despite it being a friendly match.

“You got this, Knight! I- huh?” Princess glanced over her shoulder at a similarly pink cookie looking down at her from behind their bench, large heart-shaped eyes hidden behind a couple of letters being held in the lady’s white gloves.

Tipping her lilac hat, the messenger’s lips fumbled as she figured out what to say, her gaze shifting from the gleaming knights to the pretty princess. “I-I have a letter for you, Miss!” she thrust a pale letter covered in stickers and drawn-on hearts into Princess’s face before looking at Madeleine and waving a different letter in the air. “M-Mister, um, knight, I have a letter for you!”

Knight paused, finding himself holding his shield half-way up between himself and Madeleine’s sword which the holy warrior had stopped right against the edge. Madeleine winked and withdrew his play-sword, feeling little guilt as he plunged the dull wooden blade into the dirt. He glanced at his opponent apologetically, and then a second time with a more shielded expression before bowing to Cotton Candy, the flustered messenger. “I am Knight Cookie; you have a letter for me?”

Cotton Candy squeaked and shook her head fervently, her cheeks growing to be a hot pink. “Oh, n-no, I’m sorry! I meant him- th-the uh, the pretty blonde.” She stammered, large eyes highlighting with an edge of blue, “I-I mean, you’re pretty too! Very pretty. Very, um, nice.” She held her arms closer to her chest when she got no response.

Madeleine approached confidently, taking the offered letter from Cotton Candy. “So, for me, then?” his strikingly blue eyes sparkled, and Cotton Candy found herself speechless as her hand never drew back to her bag, instead hovering in the air, fingers twitching for a letter that was once there. She nodded, lips still parted.

Madeleine’s letter was simple and clean, sealed with a circle of wax with a symbol of a sword imprinted into it. He sat on the bench to read it while Knight and Princess muttered to one another. Cotton Candy had long fled once Madeleine was finished reading, now wearing a frown.

“What’s wrong, Mister?” Angel asked softly, their light voice wavy.

“Nothing terrible,” Madeleine smiled reassuringly, though lacking much enthusiasm, “It just means that I have to go somewhere to help Cookies in need.”

“Are you tired?”

“No, I just hoped that I would have a longer break,” he chuckled and then stood up, declaring with gusto, “But a hero’s work is never done!” Then turning to Knight with a somewhat humble smile, he said, “I apologize, but we’ll have to postpone this spar of ours. I have to leave immediately; I assume that Princess’s letter dealt with the same issue as mine?”

Knight sighed as Princess giggled, “No, actually. It’s rather sweet; I think I have an admirer. What’s got you busy?”

“I know the feeling,” Madeleine grinned, “Some Knights back at my home Kingdom need my help, is all. Some monsters are being nuisances, is all.” As if to state something, he tossed his large ponytail over his shoulder.

“Are you going to need any help?” Princess asked, tucking her folded sheet of paper back in the decorated envelope.

“How long is this going to take?” added Knight, crossing his arms.

“I’m not sure, I’ll have to see my opponents for myself, though I doubt that I’ll be gone long,” Madeleine said dismissively.

Angel looked up at Madeleine, “Am I going with you?”

The long-haired knight paused, glancing from the child to the letter. “... No,” he stated.

“Huh? Why not?” their lips trembled. “Where am I going to go?”

Madeleine looked to Knight, rubbing his own knuckles, squinting slightly, “Could you look after Angel while I’m gone?”

Knight thought about it. “I don’t think that I’d be suited to look after them… I think I know someone who could, though,” he offered. “I can ask him later today; we’re meeting up.”

After a moment of thoughtful staring, Madeleine sighed heavily, “That may work. I need to leave right away, though.” He smiled down at Angel gently, “Would you mind that?”

Angel began to nod, gripping their small wand.

“Do you think that you could handle it for a little while? I’ll come back as soon as possible for you, I promise.”

This satisfied the child, and they rubbed their eyes while nodding more. “I can stay with Mister Knight and his friend.”

Madeleine patted them on the shoulder and gave them a brief hug, “You’ll be fine, I trust Knight, so you can too.”

“Okay…” 

Standing back up, Madeleine ripped his wooden sword from the ground and handed it to Knight, “Put that away for me, will you? Thanks, I’ll see you soon!” With that, the warrior had his back turned, cape fluttering majestically in the wind as he made his swift exit. Angel waved gently in his direction and kept glancing down the roads throughout the day, even when they got on Knight’s horse with he and Princess and rode away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Edit:) At first I had thought that the characters were rather weak in this chapter, but after a re-read I feel like I did a decent job. I do hope that you enjoyed this chapter despite how I felt about it. I'm hopeful for the future, at least ^^)/ Let me know what you think of this chapter.
> 
> Oddly enough, I usually like these chapters better after I re-read them after posting to check for stuff... It's quite the funny thing. I do hope that you like this. uVu


	4. In Which a Message is Left

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Madeleine has to leave quickly, but he can't not leave a note. Long after, Espresso meets up with a friend and their temporary guardians.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that you like this chapter! All of your comments have been super encouraging and I'm actually feeling more confident about my writing skills...   
> This chapter doesn't have any Espresso-Madeleine interactions, but they do think of one another. uVo I hope that you don't mind it; the plot has taken over what was once going to be one-shot fluff.
> 
> Thank you so much for your support! Enjoy! <3

"Another juice?" The voice was lazy and familiar, spoken with a wistful air that came through with a mischievous trill.

Sparkling chuckled and swiftly uncorked a new bottle; the grape-colored liquid sloshed into the waiting glass and was quickly drained once more. "You'd best be careful," he said with a slight grin, his eyes upturned and posture relaxed. "You drank a lot the other day."

"Oh, please, another cup won't kill me," Vampire laughed, draping his hair across the nicely shined roll-cake wood that made up the counter as he laid his head down. 

Sparkling rolled his eyes and handed the man the entire bottle, his voice a placid river, "As you wish."

As he marked the charge on Vampire's tab, the barkeeper heard a chime for the third time that hour. He glanced at the door expectantly and almost seemed disappointed at something. Nevertheless, it was covered up with such confidence that it was questionable if it had happened at all. 

A knight with long, blonde locks strolled in, his white chocolate armour gleaming in the gentle yellow light. Sparkling noted with slight intrigue that the holy warrior lacked his signature cloak; he looked incomplete without it, the barkeep concluded. However, it was not his place to ask about such things and he asked with a wide gesture of the arms. "What may I get for you, Sir Madeleine?"

Madeleine sauntered right up to the counter, but he didn't sit, which was odd. Sparkling slid his notepad out from a hidden pocket as well as a thin, black pen. 

The knight procured a couple of coins from his bag and put them on the counter. "I'd like to leave a message, if I may," his grin never left his face, though it appeared less enthused than usual. 

Sparkling nodded, pen uncapped. He flipped to a new page as he nodded, asking, "Of course. Who is it for?" 

"Espresso Cookie." 

Vampire glanced at Madeleine curiously and got a casual grin in return. He swirled what was left in his bottle and appeared to focus intently on it, so much so that he must've been completely unaware of what he was gazing at.

"And the details of the message?" Sparkling raised a thin eyebrow, "You may write it yourself, if you wish."

Madeleine accepted and took the notepad, writing in as clear of a script as he could for the ease of interpretation. The amount of his scrawl took up little at first, but quickly came to having to squeeze what letters he could to finish his note. Sparkling squinted at the letters, relaxed, and nodded, ripping off the sheet and placing it somewhere out of sight, tucked underneath the countertop. 

"Is that all?"

"Yes, it is," Madeleine replied, capping the pen. "I trust that Espresso will come by in a few days," he smiled apologetically, "He isn't the most social, so I apologize if you keep that note for longer than desired." 

With an offhand gesture, Sparkling reassured that it was of no bother. "It is my job," he said, deep green eyes glittering.

With that and an extra coin for good measure, Madeleine left the bar with little fanfare. 

Vampire purred, long nails gently scraping the glazed countertop, "Can I use that tip for another glass?"

"No, you may not."

* * *

  
  


Espresso had been tucked away within his comfortable walls for the last couple of days. He didn't mind the solitude, and had easily slipped back into a rhythm of chores, spellcasting, and the occasional reports of his findings to others through form of letter. 

Picking up his most intricate mug, the mage found himself looking out of his window, watching the populous below move about like puppies, often double-backing or stopping to talk to friends. He observed these interactions as he had taken a liking to doing so, all the while hearing his machines hiss and rotate their gears, an eerie backdrop to an otherwise cheerful evening.

He had expected for his work to be interrupted at least once or twice, but few had come to ascend the many stairs of his tower. His last memorable visitor had been Madeleine days before, and no signs of the pale warrior had shown themselves even in the streets below. His cloak was still neatly folded, now seated atop a wide shelf just outside of his storage room and under a small book, fitted with a crisp graham-cracker cover. But alas, not a trace of the usually very vocal cookie revealed itself.

Deciding to take matters into his own hands, the mage took a dark brown satchel from a cloak hook and slipped both the book and the cape inside.

Descending the stairs, he felt an urge to take them two at a time like a child - or Madeleine - might, but he shook the feeling away, finding the situation not urgent enough to merit such an act.

He left the castle and into the main body of the Kingdom market without much incident, save for a brief detour to check the stables. Madeleine's horse was not there, and neither was the knight.

He was greeted by few as he slipped through the wide streets, with whom he shared a nod and a light wave, but for the most part he was unnoticed. The sun, half-awake and yawning, cast heavy shadows across the many pop-up stands and more permanent buildings. Espresso paused under one such shadow and took out a small cloth, with which he cleaned the lenses of his glasses with. He thought over the repetitive motion.

Unsure of where to go first, he was deciding on where to check when his cloak was tugged gently. Looking down, he saw it to be a familiar child, dressed plainly.

"Angel?" He asked before smiling. "I hope that you are well. Where is Madeleine?"

Angel's face, previously beaming, now dimmed but stayed upturned. "Mister Madeleine left a few days ago on a trip."

He blinked, "Pardon?"

Angel's wings shuffled restlessly on their back, "He got a letter and it told him to go somewhere. They needed help, I think."

"Ah." He glanced down at his satchel, "Could you-"

"Hey! Who are you?!" Espresso's gaze snapped up to be looking up at a cookie with dark, purple skin. He wore no shirt and looked as if he would usually wear pauldrons from the grooves left in his dough. His left arm tapped the other impatiently, and his lips were pulled back into a most unfriendly scowl. 

"Espresso Cookie, Coffee Mage," the mage supplied simply, staring at the newcomer with eyebrows raised. "What bothers you?"

Angel peeped, "Mister Espresso is friends with Mister Madeleine, Yam."

Yam growled and looked at Angel, dismissing the other man for the moment, "Is he?" His muscular shoulders slackened, "Even so, you shouldn't have run off like that." Espresso observed that the warrior cookie hadn't stopped moving since he came up; he was tapping his foot against the stone path, or mindlessly waving his hands around in small, unobtrusive motions.

Angel looked down, their fragile little face scrunched. They rubbed their eyes as a large shadow passed overhead.

"Hey, Yam! Hello! Angel, are you okay?" Another man, skin pale with hair whiter than snow, approached. He was of significant height and was broad in frame, even more so than the purple warrior beside him. With a smile, he knelt down to their level, placing a hand on their little shoulder.

"Yes," they nodded. "I just wanted to say hi to Mister Espresso."

His eyes widened and he looked to the mage in a manner considerably more friendly way than his cohort did. Extending his hand, he greeted Espresso warmly, "Hi! I'm Milk Cookie. We've been watching over Angel for the past few days." He turned and added to Yam, keeping it brief, "Espresso is one of Madeleine's friends."

Espresso hesitated but took the offered hand and was unceremoniously yanked forwards as Milk shook it. Yam snorted as the mage let go and brushed his hair back into place. He grimaced at Milk's sheepish grin. "Ah, I see. … I wasn't aware of Madeleine's leaving."

Milk shrugged, still smiling, "Knight Cookie told us that Madeleine had somewhere to get to."

"Where did he go?" His words had a bite to them, and came out more sharply than intended. The mage tapped his fingers idly against one another.

Yam frowned, "Dunno."

"Knight didn't tell us. I don't think he knew," Milk added.

Espresso stood there blankly. "... Noted."

Angel did a little hop, "Mister Espresso?"

"Pardon?"

"Could you spend some time with us?" They requested, standing on the tips of their toes and leaning forward. Their wings flapped gently to keep them balanced. 

Espresso shook his head, observing Yam's fresh scowl, "I have things to get to."

Angel pouted and slackened, dumping their weight against Milk as they sighed, "Okay." They kept their eyes on the mage and waited for him to say more, but he seemed preoccupied with his thoughts. Milk didn’t seem to mind any of this and wrapped his arm comfortingly around the small child, who hugged it.

Trying to be helpful, Milk asked Espresso, "Have you gotten a message from him? There's a chance that you missed one. Have you checked the post office?"

"Or Sparkling's bar?" Yam added dryly.

"No, I hadn't thought of that." Espresso looked to Yam, scoffing, "Why would a message be at a bar? Angel said he was out of town."

"Cookies leave messages with the guy all of the time," Yam explained gruffly. Even after extended moments of quiet, he added no more context.

"Hm. I will check there, then," the mage sighed, feeling the day beginning to weigh on him. If he was going to visit both places and get home awake, he figured that he should get a coffee first. He glanced from his satchel to Angel, then nodded to the two men. "Enjoy your day."

As he turned to leave, his stride was interrupted by Angel. The small child hugged his leg and pleaded, "If you hear from Mister Madeleine, tell me please." 

"... I shall do so. Return to your guardians."

Espresso watched Angel run back over to Milk, who picked them up and playfully placed them upon his broad shoulders. They giggled and seemed cheered up by this and didn't notice Yam taking extra moments to stare in the direction down which the mage had disappeared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, how was it? I've got a little bit of Chapter 5 written, but I'm debating over what events should happen in what sequence. I'm not sure how long it'll take, but as always, I'll try to update soon!


	5. In Which Messages are Delievered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Espresso receives his message and is later graced with the presence of Madeleine's sort-of-child and their temporary dad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many apologies for the late update and for taking this chapter down before! I had this one up for a day but then decided that I wasn't satisfied and took it down. I hope that you enjoy this! 
> 
> Future chapters will have more Espresso-Madeleine interactions, but for now, have some other moments. :)

Accompanied by a joyful ring not of his own making, Espresso entered into the shop and had to wait for his eyes to adjust to the low, yellow lights casting gentle rays onto the many tables and chairs below. With a brief pause for thought, he sat on a stool by the bar counter. A man clad in a pristine yet creased white tunic and dark green suspenders greeted him with a charming smile. He didn't return the gesture, instead glancing at the menu and then proceeding to remove his glasses. They were neatly folded and placed on the countertop, which now looked more akin to spilled coffee.

"Good afternoon. What may I get for you?"

"... A coffee."

"What size?"

"... 16 ounces, please." 

Espresso listened to the silence that hung over the store as the bartender, Sparkling Cookie, began work on his order. The world seemed to blur into itself, becoming little more than a swatch of black. The silence was so distracting that the whirr of the machines startled him back to focus, and he found that suddenly, the place had a lot more customers occupying the space. Despite the moody lighting, the mage had to keep his eyes squinted; he felt around for his glasses only to have them handed to him by a blurry tan blob. Putting them on, he winced at the shift from a sloppy watercolor painting to one hyper in detail. Lifting his head, his gaze rested itself on the cookie in front of him, looking just as he did before he had laid his head down.

"I was wondering if I should wake you," the bartender chuckled, grinning. The mage had to focus to not become distracted by the rhythmic sloshing of some liquid inside of the golden bottle that he held. "You must've been rather tired to fall asleep on the spot." 

"Pardon?" Espresso rubbed his eyes, blinking. Taking the cup that had been placed in front of him, he took a sip; it was certainly caffeinated, but oddly lukewarm. "... I feel asleep?"

"Yes. Even Vampire was impressed at your swiftness to rest," Sparkling joked, gesturing to the man quietly snoring a few seats away. With slight alarm, the mage realized that there were more than a few bottles emptied near the red-headed figure. "Your order has been losing heat for a good half hour," he added. 

"I can tell."

Sparkling observed him curiously. He thought for a moment before asking, "What's your name?"

"... Espresso Cookie."

The bartender snapped his fingers, "Ah, then I have a little gift for you." His hand disappeared under the counter and reappeared with a small slip of paper. "Your friend left this for you. I was curious if you would ever come by."

Espresso's heartbeat quickened, though from the caffeine or from some other emotion he was not sure. He picked it up daintily and read it over once, then twice, then thrice. "Hm." 

Sparkling put a fresh cup of coffee in front of Espresso, which the mage thanked him for. It was considerably more refreshing than the previous one. His thoughts wandered and he wondered to himself if there was a bakery close by; a donut would go nicely with this beverage.

"What are you going to do?" Sparkling asked. 

"... Think." Espresso stood up and placed a small amount of coins down before abruptly walking right out of the door, leaving the ringer to jingle cheerfully, announcing his exit.

* * *

Espresso, from his place seated in his roll-cake wood chair, stared at the stack of items on the table, reflecting the light coming through from the largest window he had. A small book, its cover made of a thick graham cracker; a small slip of paper, covered in Madeleine's scrawl; a pen topped with a soft, thin feather colored gold; and a blank sheet of paper. It laid in front of him, a glowing rectangle of a dull off-white. He flicked the pen idly against his painted nails as he thought about what to write.

He looked at Madeleine's note once more, gaze twirling around the elegant script that somehow managed to capture the knight's excessive persona. His colleague's text confirmed what Angel and their guardians told him the day before; he was on a trip to his home Kingdom, the Vanilla Kingdom, in order to assist in a plan to protect it from something that went unspecified. Madeleine appeared to have forgotten entirely about describing his job in the later half and had begun rambling about Angel and ideas for helping Espresso and his teaching.

Madeleine had suggested that he find some willing cookies to try and teach a basic spell to. Perhaps they would like it and stick around for longer. Even with the idea presented with such faithful optimism, Espresso thought the event rather unlikely.

The knight had welcomed the idea of writing a letter in return, even encouraging it to the point where it was less of a suggestion and more of a concrete request. The mage found himself at a metaphorical block, for despite his willingness to respond, few words came to him and none felt correct. The thought of being able to talk to someone despite the distance seemed far-fetched but charming, and deceivingly easy. 

As he tapped his pen against his chin, he heard a timid knock on his door, followed by a muffled chuckle and a considerably more firm bang that reverberated through the chamber that was recognized as the caramel knocker. He stood, sliding his paper and pen further back across the table. 

"Who is this?" He asked, approaching the door. 

A young voice sounded from the opposite side, familiar in its peppiness. "Angel and Mister Milk!" The child supplied.

Espresso opened the door and was startled to see the child face-to-face with him. They giggled playfully, wings tucked into the folds of their ginger dress as Milk Cookie held them securely. 

"Greetings. It is… a surprise to see you," Espresso nodded to them, stepping back into his workspace while simultaneously inviting them in. 

"Angel wanted to see you. We aren't interrupting anything, are we?" Milk explained with a smile, setting Angel down on the floor. Espresso expected for them to leave to sit on the couch, but they stayed by his side.

"... Nothing much. Is there something more specific that you want?"

Milk looked to Angel with a patient smile, who eagerly explained, "What did Mister Madeleine's letter say?"

"Pardon?"

They hugged their star-topped wand to their chest. "Mister Madeleine didn't send me a letter, so I was hoping that you could read yours to me," they added sheepishly.

The mage thought about it for a moment. “I would rather not,” he answered slowly, glancing at the window.

Angel’s wings made little sound as their feathers gently brushed against the floor, bright eyes and holy aura visibly dimming. Milk patted their shoulder.

“... but, I suppose I could paraphrase a little,” he added, pouring coffee into a mug without even turning his gaze to the machine.

He retrieved the paper from the table and gestured for the two to sit. They did so, with Angel snuggling up to Milk’s side as if they were receiving a bedtime story, eyes widened with regained glittering. Milk took a moment to observe the room around him, taking in the organized chaos of bookshelves filled with various books and indescribable contraptions; Angel, on the other hand, did not avert their eyes for a moment.

Clearing his throat and taking a hearty sip of coffee, the mage read aloud. Espresso’s words came sluggishly, interrupted by small moments during which he found himself glancing at Milk and the hopeful child beside the white-clad warrior.

After a few moments felt long, Milk interrupted with eyebrows downturned and expression soft, “I, eh, need to use the bathroom. Where is it?”

Espresso readjusted his glasses, exhaling. “There is one over there,” he pointed, and Milk left in the indicated direction. Angel watched him go but lost interest when they no longer had him in sight. The mage’s posture slackened and he continued reading. He prematurely folded up the note and slipped it inside a pocket within his cloak before he finished the letter. He noted that Milk had not yet returned, but figured it was to be expected.

Angel was leaning forwards to such a degree that they were in danger of losing balance, which their wings appeared to know as they beat against the air like an owl’s. “You can teach me magic?” they asked. “Real magic spells?”

He hesitated, “Such a thing could be attempted, yes.”

“Please!!” they slid off of the couch cushion, “I wanna learn that!”

“You can teach Angel magic?” Milk asked, coming from the washroom doorway. 

“... If their guardians were to agree to such a thing, then yes,” Espresso clarified.

Milk sat down once more, a smile on his face. “I see no issue! I doubt that Yam won’t allow it. How about a test run? You could teach Angel a spell and they could see if they like it.”

Angel nodded vigorously, and Espresso couldn’t help but smile slightly. His grip on his coffee mug became a measure more forceful as he thought through the proposition. “This… could work,” he agreed. After another sip of his beverage, he stood and went to fetch a few basic materials, including the book that had been resting by his window-seat table.

He placed a jar of beans, a small blackboard, chalk, and the book on the coffee table. He guided his new pupil through the steps carefully, answering any questions proposed to him earnestly and with as simple of terms as his mind could comprehend. He barely noticed the time tick by as he downed several cups of coffee; Angel had their own cup of water, which they claimed tasted more bitter than the water at home. At some point which Espresso could not identify later, Milk had left the tower and had arrived back with snacks and, more importantly, news that Yam was willing to give this new thing a try if he were included in the discussion of schedules whenever they could meet up next. 

“Where should our next meeting take place?” Espresso asked, taking his feather pen and pressing the tip to paper.

“We could always come back up here,” Milk offered as he watched Angel try to eat one of the magical beans. They grimaced and shook their head vigorously and sheepishly walked over to the trash can after Espresso gestured to it. “Though I think it would be best if you came to the Guild Hall so you can talk to Yam, too!”

Espresso nodded thoughtfully, “Of course. Where is it?”

Milk approached the large window and pointed at a large, ornately structured building in the distance, decorated with banners. “That one. There’s a quick route through the marketplace, right by the bakeries.”

“Thank you, I shall keep that in mind,” the mage took a long sip of coffee.

Angel, overhearing this, gasped and clapped their little pale hands excitedly. They looked to Milk and asked, “Can we stop by the bakery on the way home? Please?”

Milk chuckled and shook his head, “Not today, but perhaps another time,” he offered with a smile.

Angel pouted but was quickly back to their happy self when Espresso suggested that they show Milk what progress they had made while he was away. Milk clapped, delighted by their spell, and Angel giggled proudly. “Thank you,” they said, beaming.

Espresso then, picking up the graham-cracker tome, offered the book to Angel. “Study what you will,” he instructed, adjusting his glasses after his hands were freed. With spoken permission, Angel wrote their name in a somewhat elegant script (with some assistance) inside of the book, declaring it theirs to keep.

The two left with such enthusiasm that they may have been described as parading out the door, waving back to Espresso before descending, with one of the last traces of the mage that they heard being the echoing sound of the heavy door shut as they neared the bottom of the winding staircase.

Back up in his workspace, Espresso fell back onto his couch, throat sore and eyes threatening to seal themselves shut from the prolonged interactions but still with a smile gracing his lips. He felt as if he could lie there for hours and still be content, but the mess that had been created wouldn’t let him be. With the assistance of even more caffeine, he tidied up until there was barely any sign that the lesson had taken place at all. With legs so stiff he could’ve believed that his joints were non-existent, he dragged himself to his cot and slept until late afternoon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope that you liked this chapter! If you have any criticisms or compliments, I'd love to hear them! I want to make this story as enjoyable for you to read as it is for me, so ask me whatever you'd like to know. I'll avoid spoilers, of course, but any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. <3


	6. In Which We Make Progress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angel gets their first official magic lesson as well as some extra information about their blonde guardian.
> 
> Word Count: 1,852

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many apologies for such a late update! I planned on writing much more for this chapter, but it has been advised to me that I go ahead and post the first half of this chapter as it is already over 1,500 words. In order to keep a more balanced length of chapters, I have split Chapter 6 into two parts. This is part one, technically. Part two will be out much sooner as I am nearly done with it.

Rain gently fell over the sides of Espresso’s dark umbrella, slipping over the edge and falling to the ground like a small waterfall. He wore a different cloak today, having replaced it for something that didn’t reach his feet. This one neatly curled around his throat like a turtleneck sweater and ended just past his pelvis. To match this, he had also changed his dress and boots, effectively returning balance to his appearance. Espresso observed the cookies around him, blissfully enjoying their mornings despite the lack of sun.

Bringing his coffee cup to his lips, he took a moment to take it all in. From the view of his tower, everycookie looked so miniscule. Near insignificant if not for the fact that he could still tell what they were doing. He recognized many that he had seen around before, though he knew few of their names. Despite this, many cookies paused to wave to him and others, greeting strangers with equal enthusiasm. He smiled at them and would often wave back, though his motion was considerably smaller than some of their wide waves that often led to them hitting something beside them.

He quietly made his way along the winding roads, holding within a satchel various magical ingredients. He considered making a stop by the bakery, but he did not pause for long. He did have a destination, after all, even if time was not of the essence.

It was not long before Espresso was staring up at the Guild Hall, examining the architecture while he sipped his drink. The place was large, a building of many stacked floors and grand columns; stone plinths held many different statues, often depicting winged cookies or musicians of some kind. Flags were scattered about, proudly hung for all passersby to admire. They sagged, a little waterlogged, but still proved to be good locational markers. He took a moment to close up his umbrella and adjust how his cloak sat on him before pushing the door open.

A wave of cool air rolled past his heavily clothed form as he stepped inside, looking around for a certain trio. As expected, two familiar warriors and their temporary child were stacking boxes near the far end of the large room. He approached them and was immediately greeted with a light, childish gasp and two head turns.

“Greetings,” he nodded to them while flicking his wrist, coffee cup still in hand. Angel giggled and ran up to him, flapping their wings to add some length to their little hops, and gave him a hug. The mage briefly froze but relaxed to awkwardly pat their shoulder, as he was still holding items. "Hello to you, too.”

Milk stepped forward, casually lifting what looked to be a large, heavy box in only one hand. “It’s nice to see you!” he welcomed, offering a joyful grin. "I assume that you're well? Oh, and the rack is over there." He gestured to the mage's dripping umbrella.

Espresso nodded, offering a slim smile and a slight bow. He habitually adjusted his shortened cloak accordingly after rising once more and then deposited his umbrella on the rack. He recognized multiple pairs of various rain-gear hanging up already, mostly dried.

Yam huffed, head tilted slightly. “Hi,” he spoke, voice curt. “So… you’re teaching Angel Cookie magic now?” The warrior’s forehead scrunched, chin slightly tilted towards the ceiling as if he were sizing the mage up. With Espresso’s short stature, the purple-skinned cookie was always looking down at him.

“Yes, indeed I am,” Espresso confirmed, standing up a little straighter, if such a thing were possible with his trained posture. “I hope that this time is not inconvenient?”

“No, it’s fine! We’re just moving boxes,” Milk explained, gesturing to the items behind him with a wide wave. “We’re working on renovations here so Yam can move in! We're just bringing in the furniture now."

“You live here?” Espresso asked, vaguely incredulous. 

Milk nodded, not noticing Yam shooting him a glare. “Yes! I already live here, but since Yam is joining the Guild and we’re taking care of Angel, we figured it would be good to get a start on this. You could even join the Guild, too! You do missions sometimes, right?”

Espresso shook his head, declining, “No thank you.” He inwardly mused as he judged the room around him, taking in the cleanliness and organization of the place. Angel, having let go of Espresso by now, seemed very eager to speak as well, darting back into his view with a few quick skips.

“I’m getting my own room!” they announced, beating their wings against the air as they hopped to get more lift.

“Temporarily,” Yam added, glancing at Milk who nodded in confirmation. 

“Congratulations. Do you have your tome?” Espresso looked to Angel, sliding his satchel off of his shoulder.

“Yeah, it’s upstairs!” they immediately turned to run to the stairs, grabbing the edge of the railing to boost them up the steps faster. “I’ll get it!”

“Be careful!” Yam called, “Don’t trip over anything.”

“I won’t!”

“I have brought some extra materials over today,” Espresso explained, “I assumed a lesson may be in order immediately.”

“That works!” Milk grinned.

“At least they’ll have something else to distract them,” Yam grumbled, though it sounded half-hearted.

“I got it!” Angel’s voice, muffled by the layers of wood between them and the others on the lower floor, gradually grew louder as they flew down. Their sandals gently touched down against the nicely buffed planks as they proudly held up their book for the others to see as they scampered up to Espresso, nearly stumbling over their own feet in their haste. “Do we get to do more magic today?”

“Yes, if we may use another room. I’m afraid that rain is not the best weather for any spellcasters.”

Yam huffed, crossing his arms, “You can just work over there.” He gestured to a corridor, “It’s connected to a room that should be sizable enough.”

Espresso nodded, “Thank you.”

“I probably should’ve asked this earlier, but how much do we pay you?” Milk gave a less confident smile and fidgeted with his large boxes, which he passed on to Yam to place them somewhere else. Yam noticeably winced and bent his knees to support the sudden weight; with muffled grunts, he dropped his load with a thud closer to the stairs.

The mage paused. He had not truly thought about the matter… He was more concerned with giving a proper lesson and gaining experience than getting paid. He smoothed his hair back and adjusted his glasses before speaking. “I do not require much.”

Milk thought for a moment, “How about twenty coins?”

“That will do.”

“Can we start the lesson now?” Angel pouted, holding their beginner’s spellbook close to their bodice.

“Yes, we may.” Espresso guided Angel to the room that Yam directed them to and placed their bag down on the table that they found in there.

The room itself was small, with a semicircle window and freshly painted walls of a soft grey. The floor was the same as in the lobby and seemed to have been cleaned recently. It wasn’t an extravagant room, having only a few storage trunks, what looked to be cape and sword racks and two tables. Angel sat down in the only chair in the room, swinging their short legs a few inches above the ground. Faintly, they heard the heavy steps of the two warriors as they ascended the stairs with their loads. 

“What first?” Angel leaned forward in their chair, flipping their miniature tome open.

“A simple warm-up spell,” Espresso stated after a brief moment of consideration. “Turn to page three.”

The duo worked on these for a while, practicing the same spells again and again. Espresso proved to be a sensible teacher once more despite his inexperienced ways and Angel found themself very engaged for most of the lesson. As Espresso took a moment to search through his spellbook, Angel tugged gently on his shortened cloak.

“Mister Espresso?”

His gaze did not move from the page as he asked patiently, “Do you have a question?”

“Yes!”

“Then ask. There is no need for dawdling.”

“When did you become friends with Mister Madeleine?” they inquired, bouncing in their seat, wings and curls bobbing to the movement.

The mage paused in his searching and blankly stared into space. “... What makes you curious?”

“Mister Madeleine always said nice things about you,” they started. “But they never told me how you met.”

“When we met and when we became acquaintances were two different occurrences,” Espresso clarified warily.

“Please?” Angel’s smile wobbled, mirroring the movement of the chair that they wiggled restlessly upon.

“... I suppose you of all cookies have a right to know,” he sighed, closing his heavy tome with a hefty thunk. “It is not the most interesting of stories.”

“You’re a good storyteller!”

Espresso shook his head, a thin smile on his soft, dark face. “I do not share your sentiment, but thank you.”

Angel shook their head but didn’t pursue the issue further, preferring to sit back in the chair and curl up with their book in their arms like a bedtime plush.

As he slowly placed his spellbook on the table, Espresso quietly wondered to himself just how many things from Madeleine that he’d end up reading to the child. He also mused over the question whether or not there were any coffee machines in this large Guild Hall. “Well…” he began. “We went on a few missions together. Our powers worked well in unison, though our dipositations weren’t as agreeable.”

“What was Mister Madeleine like?”

“Much like he is now. He was quite loud, obnoxious, and prideful.” He paused, observing the kid’s frown, and then continued. “Strong, in both mind and body. Resilient. Very skilled with the blade; he has assisted me greatly, and I have done the same for him.”

Angel sat still, recalling the few times when Madeleine would bring them on a task of his where Espresso tagged along. Maybe tagged along wasn’t the right word… The mage had helped quite a lot; his abilities piqued Angel’s interest greatly and they had dreamed of doing the same for weeks onward. They were so inspired that Madeleine taught them a healing spell, which the child was ecstatic about. Coffee Magic felt different, though; more wild and creative, able to take many more forms. Angel wondered how Espresso was so tired when his magic was not.

“... Is there anything more that you would like to know?” Espresso asked, pushing up his glasses.

Angel thought for a long moment, looking about the room. Their tutor waited patiently as they kicked their heels lightly against the legs of the chair, leaning and bending to try and get some idea for another question. “Um…” They stared at their spellbook, or more specifically, the bound sugar-paper inside. “Can we go over that spell with the little poof?”

“... Page two?” Espresso’s shoulders sagged, a clear visual of his mood shifting. His tone was lighter and perhaps a bit relieved, “Yes, we may.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do hope that you enjoyed this chapter despite my lagging update times! The next part may be done within the next few hours or later tomorrow if all goes to plan. I have many projects and an essay coming up in school and I do not wish to sacrifice the quality of them nor this fic by trying to do them all at once, so updates may continue to be slow for a while. Even so, do tell me how you felt about this chapter! It feels quite short to me, but maybe that's because I've been staring at it for so long.
> 
> **NOTE: Considering changing the ending to this chapter. May be done at a later date.**


	7. In Which I Write to You Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Madeleine returns to his home Kingdom, the Vanilla Kingdom, and settles down to write a letter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dang... This chapter is pretty long, and it's still mostly dialogue! I didn't want this chapter to feel like an exposition dump, but I'm afraid that it kinda fell into that trap. Even so, I hope that you're glad to see Madeleine again! It feels like I haven't had him appear in this fic in ages.
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> Word Count: 2299

Far across the lands and further out to sea, the downpour had not yet arrived. Instead, the Vanilla Kingdom enjoyed a clear view of the sky as few clouds obstructed the gorgeous setting sun. Colors swirled around one another, putting on a delightful show for this side of the Earthbread.

Madeleine, from his office as a Commander of Knights in the castle, had the pleasure of being on just the right side to receive a fairly pretty view of the spectacle. He leaned back in his chair, balancing dangerously with his feet propped up on his desk which sat very close to his window. His hair fell back behind him in such luxurious waves that the sea itself may have been jealous of its majestic sheen while his armour, though showing a little bit of wear, gleamed like the surface of a pearl.

Every inch of the room was familiar to him, as he had been assigned this room within his early days of being a Commander. His desk was the same, though aged and perhaps not as spotless as it used to be, and so were the bookcases on the far side of the room near the large exit door. Hidden in a side bedroom blocked by a smaller, less intricate door, his bed was large and endlessly comfortable, fit with duvets and soft sheets and fuzzier blankets. Even when surrounded by all of these familiar things, the knight couldn’t relax; even when his body lay still, his mind was constantly aware of everything, and if not, concerned with what he did not know.

His trip to the Vanilla Kingdom, his home kingdom, was pleasant and uneventful (which was both a relief and a disappointment); his sugar horse was about as stubborn as he was and rode quite the distance on foot before even laying eyes on a boat. Once they had reached the other mainland, the two hitched a ride with another group heading for the Kingdom. They had been ecstatic to have the esteemed warrior among them, even if it was only for a day or two. Madeleine fondly remembered the shock on their faces when he confirmed his identity and the pieces clicked into place.

The citizens that greeted him when he and his temporary party had arrived early in the morning a day later were even more pleasant, recognizing him immediately and cheering his name; those that rode beside him also were flocked and questioned about what it was like being around him during their journey. He had waved and rode on with a grin that matched only a portion of his thoughts, as he was head set on getting a hold of Pure Vanilla. Normally, he would’ve taken more time to parade through the streets, greeting everyone and checking up on his favorite places, but the air didn’t seem right. The mood of the people was the same as it had always been, but it no longer fulfilled him as it may have done in past years.

Pure Vanilla, last remaining of the Five and King of this land, had been the one to have the letter written, though in his intense studies and experiments he had unfortunately no time to do it himself (as stated in the letter itself). Madeleine was ushered into the main hall of the castle and was told to wait til Pure found himself free. That moment had not yet arrived, and he had spent much of his time speaking with members of Pure Vanilla’s advisory and fellow knights when he was not called to arms. They had told him much of the situation, stating that Pure was certain that a vital ingredient for his studies was within a den of powerful monsters closer to the mountain range that bordered them.

A couple of missions had been performed, most recently all having Madeleine as a vital part of the team, all scouting the area and recording the monsters and their movements. Often, these expeditions would end in long battles; most of these were won, and none had been lost under Madeleine’s strategic guidance. After battles such as these, the team would come back through the main body of the town and declare their victory; Madeleine made sure that he didn’t miss a single one and was always present at the front of the cavalry. 

Seeing the cookies cry with joy and look up at him with such admiring eyes reminded him of the other Kingdom. He couldn’t help but think of Angel when he saw the smaller children try to swarm around his ride and treated them in a manner that could’ve been described strongly as fatherly. Some of them showed up repeatedly and he found himself recognizing faces, just like in the past. He still could not remember all of their names, as his attention wandered often to think about the place that he left so abruptly many days prior.

Madeleine’s gaze was drawn to the papers laying on his desk, patiently waiting under the slowly dimming light for it to receive meaning. The pen and ink were in a similar state, ignored for the knight lacked the drive to finally write his message. He wanted to tell Angel that he was alright; he knew that they had been very upset to be left behind, but he wasn’t sure how to say it. His initial idea was to gush about what he had achieved since returning to his homeland, as it was a natural habit of his to boast, but he didn’t want the child to feel even more left out. Perhaps he could send a letter to Espresso and ask him to tell Angel himself… Would that be improper of him? Most likely.

He sighed, dropping his feet and letting his seat fall forward with a thunk. His armour clinked lightly as he reached for the pen. Better to try and know that he tried than not at all. He scribbled on the sugar paper, trained lettering delicately looping about itself as it made up a message with a tone fond.

He sat up and then squinted, grimacing as he couldn’t see clearly enough to make out the letters. The sky had wrapped a dark blanket about itself, twirling around slowly and flashing the glitter embedded in its metaphorical fabric. As he rose to gather some candles, his door was knocked on.

“Pardon? Who is this?” Madeleine approached the door and opened it up, greeting the cookie that stood there, lit only with a small lamp, with a smile.

“I-I hope that this is not an inopportune time, Commander,” Pure Vanilla began, hands hidden by robes stacked on top of one another in what Maddie took as a nervous gesture. He held the lamp snugly in his arms, which cast strange shadows up on the face of him and the warrior in front of him.

“Oh, not at all! Come in, your Majesty,” Madeleine stepped aside, opening up the path inside to his office. “I do have to ask, though; I thought that I was supposed to go see you, not the other way around.”

Pure flushed, though it was barely traceable in the dim, yellow light. “I meant to contact you much earlier, but I’m afraid I found myself distracted. I hope that you have enjoyed your stay home all the same.”

“It is completely fine, your Majesty,” the knight bowed, grinning in a rather informal manner despite the title he spoke upon. “I have found this kingdom to be as exactly as I left it. Prosperous, grand, and friendly!”

Pure smiled, pleased. “I am glad to hear of it.” He cleared his throat before speaking once more, “Commander, I’m sure that my advisors have told you of my most recent theory, correct? I know that you have been on missions lately.”

“I have,” he confirmed. “Those brutes were no match for the skills of myself and my troops!” he declared with an extravagant flourish. Pure seemed amused by his antics and shook his head, chuckling quietly.

“Yes, and I thank you for it. Though I do request that you avoid calling them ‘brutes.’ They may be more intelligent than we thought.”

Madeleine responded seriously, “Ah, of course, your Majesty.”

Pure paused thoughtfully. “I have heard much of your deeds since you have last been here. Is it true that you have taken that little child as your pupil? I’m surprised that they aren’t with you.”

The commander looked away, sighing faintly, “Yes, Angel Cookie has been with me for quite a while now. They have made much progress and have proven to be quite capable, but I didn’t want them to join me when I knew so little about what was going to happen here.”

“Ah, I see. I think I understand,” Pure patted Madeleine’s shoulder with a gentle touch that matched his calm tone. “Do you miss them?”

“Yes, quite a lot, actually. I worry about them…”

“Did you leave them in safe hands?” Pure inquired, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, under guardians that my comrade-in-arms Knight Cookie chose.”

“Do you trust Knight Cookie?”

“Yes, he is one of the most loyal and trustworthy cookies that I’ve met over in the other Kingdom,” Madeleine confirmed, feeling slightly unsettled from the large amount of questioning.

"Then there should be no problem," Pure smiled, satisfied. "Though, if you do find yourself missing them so much, why not write to them?"

"I was working on a letter before you came to me," Madeleine gestured to his desk and Pure held up his lamp to illuminate the room enough to see the edges of sugar. He sighed, "Regrettably, I am unsure what more to say."

"Ask them about their day. Maybe they'll respond to you. Assuming that Angel can write." Madeleine nodded in response.

"Yes, with assistance. But what if it is not enough?"

"I'm sure that they would be happy simply receiving any form of recognition from you," Pure soothed. "Try not to worry them, but still be honest."

"I will, thank you," the Commander bowed so low that his hair slipped over his shoulders. 

"It is okay to excuse the lack of formalities, Commander," Pure chuckled.

"And you say this now, hm?" Madeleine grinned, playful once more.

Pure’s face took on a deeper tone across his cheeks and nose, “I must admit, I was so preoccupied with thinking about what I should say that I did not introduce us properly.”

Madeleine shook his head with a smile, “Do not worry yourself, it’s not an issue.” He then grinned, running his hand through his long locks.

“I am glad that you don’t mind,” Pure nods. “Though, I must apologize once more, for I do have to address something a little more serious.”

“Is this about the monsters?”

“Yes, it is, I’m afraid. As I’ve said and that you’ve already heard, they may have something that could prove vital to one of my spells. There is no certainty that this spell will work at all, so I had not wanted to go and fight them just yet. However,” he added, “They have been becoming increasingly more active as of late, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, and we have reason to believe that they may attempt to attack nearby villages or perhaps this main city itself.”

“Ah, I see.”

“I know that you want to return to your other Kingdom, but I do need you to stay around for a little longer. You may be excused soon to go back, but we really do need you for a few of the battles ahead,” Pure stated. As he looked to the floor, his two twin fringes that framed the sides of his face fell. “I really would rather solve this problem with negotiations, but I’m afraid that these monsters won’t take any offers. I have received words from a recent team - one that you were not a part of - that there appears to be a gathering of them in the woods.”

“Are you suggesting that they may charge us?” Madeleine asked, taking a moment to consider the other’s words.

“Precisely,” Pure winced.

Madeleine smiled, placing a reassuring hand on the King’s shoulder. “We have the Divine on our side, it will be fine. I will stay with you for as long as you need.”

“Even so, I doubt that Angel would want you to stay over here. I know that you were sent to the other Kingdom to help them, but do you ever plan to come back and settle here?” Pure asked. “I’m sure that Angel would love it here,” he smiled.

Madeleine paused, “I have thought about it, but I am undecided as of yet.”

Pure Vanilla nodded, voice soft and reassuring, “Let me know when you make up your mind; don’t feel too pressured to decide now, though. I am afraid that I may have dawdled too long; I must go to check on my experiments.”

“Of course,” the Commander agreed, bowing once more. He grinned, though it was one born from more tiredness, and it showed. “It was nice talking with you.”

Madeleine watched as the King left, the yellow light of his lantern dying with him as he entered the hallways. The Commander lit a couple of candles and settled back in his chair and continued to write, oblivious to the time that ticked by. When he was satisfied with what he had written, he folded up the paper and slipped it into a thin envelope before finishing it off with a stamp with a seal that bore Madeleine’s signature.

He left the precious papers on his desk, blew out the candles, and readied himself for sleeping. By the time that he had gone out to the post office, he had two letters in hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't feel particularly proud of this chapter, so any suggestions on how I could make this better would be appreciated. x'>
> 
> Seeing everyone's comments on my works makes me feel so encouraged; all of you are so sweet, it means a lot! I know that this isn't going to be the greatest fic, but I do hope to finish it and deliver by the end.
> 
> Edit: Minor phrasing changes done in order to have the next chapter make a little bit more sense. :) I hope to get the next chapter up within the next few days.


	8. In Which I Reassure You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Espresso receives a letter from a certain someone that he hasn't heard from in days. Angel Cookie does as well, though their guardians don't seem as happy about it as they expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, it's update time! I was planning on introducing another plot point in this chapter, but apparently that's not happening yet. This chapter is mostly dialogue, and I've recently been worried about the lack of action in this fic, but I hope that you enjoy it regardless! 
> 
> Also, I edited the last chapter a little bit so this one would make a bit more sense but the changes were minor and few so re-reading Chapter 7 is quite optional.
> 
> Also, Cotton Candy reappears and even Birthday Cake appears in this chapter! I'm not entirely confident about Birthday Cake's characterization, so any tips on that would be greatly appreciated.

The breeze that gently wafted through his open window was cool, a compliment to the exhaustion that hung over Espresso Cookie as he slumped at his little two-seater table. Lately, he had been working harder than usual; preparing for Angel’s lessons was much more time-consuming than he had anticipated. Time that would normally be taken for experimenting with magic or volunteering for quests was set aside for making sure that he taught the child well.

He found himself wondering what Madeleine was doing, as the child’s usual guardian had been gone for quite a long time. Whenever he began Angel’s lessons, they would ask him if he had any news. Normally, he would not have anything to say and would simply reassure them that the knight was taking his time. However, he had finally been graced with something more than just his own predictions.

Earlier that morning, Espresso had been preparing some simple spells when he heard timid knocks at his workshop door. Figuring that it was his student, as Angel wouldn’t have been able to reach the knocker, he called, “Give me a moment, I will be with you shortly.” He quickly set some books that he was editing to the side before rising tiredly from his seat.

Opening the door, he found a wall of violet. Or, more accurately, a tan-colored cookie completely swathed in layers of it. He looked up and met two heart-shaped eyes staring at him so widely that it became rather unnerving. Even when shadowed by her pale lilac hat, they were bright and stole all attention from her neat, relatively creaseless attire. By the look of the fluffy cotton candy bird sitting patiently on the cookie’s shoulder, Espresso assumed that she was a post office worker - Cotton Candy, if he recalled correctly.

“... You are?” the mage started, leaning away from the messenger.

Her cheeks, dusted with pink and small glitters, seemed to redden as she hid behind multiple letters. One was covered in stickers, another was a crisp, pale yellow; and the last was a gentle green. Combined with the intense sugary scent coming off of the messenger, the different smells mixed together unpleasantly and made Espresso’s already weary head hurt worse. “C-Cotton Candy Cookie,” she stammered, not noticing as her bird chewed absent-mindedly on her curly hair. The mage nodded, pleased that he had guessed correctly but more taken by what it meant by her showing up.

“Do you have any letters for me?” Espresso asked, adjusting his glasses.

“Y-yes!” Cotton Candy nodded, raising her shoulders as she brought up the trio of letters closer to her eyes; her bird chirped indignantly as its comfortable perch was disturbed. “Th-this one is yours,” she thrust the letter of pale color to Espresso, sending a strong, sweet scent of vanilla in his direction. The mage took it a little more roughly than he meant to and turned it over to read the details. “It’s from, uh, Commander Madeleine Cookie of the Vanilla Kingdom. D-do you know him?” her head tilted and she leaned forward, only for Espresso to step back.

“Yes, we are… colleagues,” he muttered, opening up the letter. The room was silent as he read, completely focused on the letter and less on the fact that the messenger was staring intently at him.

“Oh…”

Espresso paused and then frowned, shaking his head, “Ah, forgive my manners. Thank you,” he said, bowing slightly. Cotton Candy made some sort of half-stifled squealing noise and covered up her red face with her remaining two letters.

“I-it’s no problem, really!” she assured, “I-I uh, wish you a nice day!” she fled down the stairs, taking them many at a time. Her bird flew after her, chirping loudly. Espresso closed the door with a sigh, smoothing out his hair with one hand as he held the letter up into the window’s line of light. 

Now, further into the afternoon, Espresso still did not know how to respond to this letter. It was as if he were listening to Madeleine ramble on without being able to interject in any way; he could visualize the knight’s face and the optimistic, joyful grin that he no doubtely would’ve been wearing if he were speaking aloud. Just imaging his energy drained the mage of his own alertness.

He figured that Angel also got a letter of some kind and would take up much of the next lesson talking about it and found himself staring at some spare paper and pens. Perhaps he and the child could take a break from the constant magic and respond to his letters together; Angel needed help doing something as simple as writing their name, so they would need some assistance with an even more complex letter. Perhaps Milk and Yam already did so… he could always ask.

Espresso sighed heavily, flicking the nearest pen off of the table-top. He hadn’t put sleep on his schedule, but if he was going to spend much of Angel’s next lesson talking about Madeleine, then he could put off all of the planning for later lessons for just a little longer… 

With the last of his energy, he walked over to his couch and promptly flopped over onto it, falling into a deep slumber shortly after.

* * *

On that pleasant spring afternoon, Angel followed their guardians Milk and Yam through the door into one of the local bakeries, accompanied by a happy chime from a bell hanging by the door. Angel, bouncing on their toes and stretching far, had to crane their neck upwards to see the pretty decorations hanging from the ceiling. They ‘ooo’ed and reached up, as if they believed that they could reach the little cut-outs of small cakes and stars that swung gently on colorful strings.

While Yam watched his observee, Milk walked up to the counter and greeted the cookie at the counter. She looked up from her paper pad as he approached, offering a smile. She straightened up and fluffed her hair.

“It’s good to see you, Birthday Cake!” Milk greeted, smiling brightly, “How has business been?”

Birthday Cake chuckled tiredly, making wide gestures with her gloved hands as she spoke. The bright light from above her made her bright blue eyes look shadowed, contrasting with her light voice. “Oh, as usual. Quite busy; I’ve got…” she sighs, “So many parties…” she brightened suddenly, pressing the eraser of her pencil to her lips, “So far everyone has been very pleased with my work!”

Milk clapped politely, his tone reassuring and supportive, “I’m not surprised; your parties are always amazing!”

Birthday Cake smirked, arms moving to her sides in a confident gesture, “Of course! I’d settle for nothing less!” She leaned over to one side, spotting the two behind him. Angel noticed her staring and happily bounced up to the counter, pressing their fingers against the plastic cover between themself and the cakes shown beneath. 

Milk quickly removed the child’s hands. “Don’t touch it, it has to stay clean,” he explained calmly. He turned to Birthday apologetically, “Sorry, I can clean it off.”

Birthday shook her head but went ahead and handed him a cloth, her smile a little fainter but still optimistic, “It’s alright, kids are like that.”

Angel pouted, “Sorry, miss.”

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it,” Birthday sighed.

Yam patted Angel’s shoulder, “So, kid, what would you like?”

Angel clapped their little hands together, face and magical aura lighting up immediately. “Uhm, uhm…” They pointed at some of the desserts inside, being careful to not touch the glass. “Those look nice, could I get one please?”

Birthday looked to Milk, who nodded, and she opened up the case from her side. “Of course you may, give me a moment.” As she packaged a jelly tart, she asked, “Would either of you like something? All of these are fairly fresh…”

Yam brought a hand up to his mouth and hummed quietly as he considered. Milk pondered for a minute, “How about-”

He was interrupted by a cheerful ring at the door and a familiar messenger cookie with a slightly disheveled ponytail entered. Birthday Cake chipperly sang, though she seemed faintly annoyed, “I’ll be with you in a minute!”

Milk waved to Cotton Candy, who shuffled through a couple of letters. She said, “Uh- okay,” and stood in the corner, rolling from the balls of her shoes to her ankles idly. She hid the lower half of her face behind letters and further shrinked back at Yam’s questioning glance.

After the trio had their packages, Cotton Candy stopped them at the door. She smiled shyly at the little child who beamed up at her in response. “You’re Angel Cookie, right?”

Angel’s eyes widened, “Uh-huh!”

“Well, then,” Cotton Candy held a vanilla-scented letter to Angel, “This is for you!”

Yam narrowed his eyes suspiciously and set a hand between Angel’s and Cotton Candy to intercept them before the child could take it. “Who is it from?”

“C-Commander Madeleine Cookie. Of the Vanilla Kingdom. I-is there a problem?” Cotton Candy stammered, eyes darting about as her face reddened. 

Milk took hold of Yam’s hand and brought it back; Angel snatched the letter immediately after, gaze glued to the back of the folded paper. Answering for the other warrior, Milk smiled, “No, it’s alright!”

Yam asked Angel, arms folded up, “What’s it say?”

Angel, having ruined the nice packaging of the envelope to get to the message inside, didn’t answer. Instead, they giggled giddily and said, “He’s okay!! Mister Madeleine says that he’ll be back soon.”

Angel’s grip on the paper tightened slightly when they got minimal reaction from their guardians. The purple warrior just frowned while Milk smiled gently.

“That’s good!” Milk said. “Then you’ll get to see him again.”

“Yeah!” Angel’s aura intensified, the slight gravitational pull noticeably shifting the desserts on display ever so slightly in their direction. 

Birthday Cake watched them, stockings tapping quietly against the tile. “Be careful with your jelly aura, please!” they called. Cotton Candy and her met eyes, and Birthday motioned to the array of sugary treats set out before her that still quivered from Angel’s unintentional control. Cotton Candy’s gaze flickered from the presentation to the party planner’s face.

Yam quickly got Angel’s attention before anything was majorly displaced, guiding them back outside, “How about we go somewhere else and eat these?” He glanced at Milk, relaxing when he saw that the cleric was already paying (and apologizing to) Birthday Cake.

The two were then outside, feeling the cool air run up against their dough. Angel hummed blissfully, looking up at the sky. “Celestial Star will be happy to see him again,” they said.

Yam merely grunted, “No doubtely.”

“How soon do you think that he’ll be back?”

“You’re the one with the letter, you tell me.”

Angel pouted, “He just said ‘soon!’”

“Then he’ll be here soon.”

Angel hugged themself, wings folding up tightly against the back panel of their pale gingerbread dress. “I hope so…”

Milk scooped up the child into his arms, and Angel comfortably snuggled up against their guardian, star wand in one hand and letter in the other. “Don’t worry! The Divine will keep him safe!” he promised, placing the child upon his shoulders. “I’d bet that he wants you to have fun. Why don’t we go to the park and talk to your friends?”

Angel beamed once more. “Okay!! I can do that!” They pointed in a random direction, declaring with their wings flaring out behind them like a halo. “To the park!” they giggled.

Together, the three marched off towards the park, all with different thoughts swirling around in their heads.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, input is very appreciated. If you notice any errors (whether grammatical, continuity related, or simply suggestions), please be sure to let me know!

**Author's Note:**

> I plan to add more chapters, but when those will happen is an unknown variable. I will try to plan it out in the meantime.


End file.
